Sparling dishes out ATM

No, screenwriter Chris Sparling is not going to go to the ATM to give us all money, though that would be interesting. Instead ATM is the name of the latest script to come from the Buried scribe. For those of you who need your memories refreshed, Buried is the Ryan Reynolds starring thriller that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and quickly got scooped up for a few million from Lionsgate for distribution later on this year. Now you can see why people are drooling with anticipation over what he’s conjuring up next.

There was murmur of the synopsis floating around the internet here and there, but now /Film has what exactly it’s all about.:

Three co-workers driving home together from a employee Christmas party in the city decide to grab some late night pizza, for which they must stop at the ATM, to get some cash. Apparently, this is where the fun starts — about 15 or 20 minutes into the story. ATM exchanges the cramped 7 foot by 3 foot wooden coffin seen in Buried for a 15 square foot indoor ATM shack. The 24-hour ATM is located in a remote area of the barren supermarket parking lot, in a not-so-great neighborhood.  The rest of the story is set primarily in the ATM vestibule, and never leaves the supermarket parking lot.

The three co-workers find themselves trapped in the ATM, unable to escape as a large menacing man in a heavy hooded parka stands between them and their car. It is the middle of the night, and all that surrounds them is cold and darkness.  To make matters worse, they find themselves without their cellphones or any way to call for help (one phone was left behind at the bar, one phone ran out of battery power, and the other phone is in the purse locked inside the car). Hawkeye says that people are describing it as Phone Booth meets Frozen.

Directing the feature will be newcomer David Brooks with producer Peter Safran throwing the picture onto the fast track. No word yet on a set release date or filming start.